Yarn handling device



Sept. 29, 1942. ,A E wiNsLow YARN HANDLING DEVICE Filed Feb. 16, -1942 fStn/n t Patented Sept. 29, 1942 2,297,667 l YARN HANDLING DEVICE AlbertE. Winslow, New London, Conn., assigner to Atwood Machine Company, acorporation of Connecticut Appiication February 16, 1942, Serial No.431,047

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for handling yarn packages,particularly packages which are mounted upon a removable mandrel whichis taken from the winding machine as a preliminary step for removing theyarn package from the mandrel.

It is usual to mount a hollow tubular core upon a mandrel and then towind yarn upon this core in the formation of a suitable package. Themandrel and package are then lifted from their guide bearing and thepackage is removed from the mandrel, usually by manipulating some memberat one end while holding the package in the hand of the operator. Thegrasping of the package by the operator for this release of the packagefrequently soils or abuses the yarn on the outer layers of the package.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a means for handlingthe yarn so that it will be unnecessary to touch the yarn with the handfor releasing the yarn package from the mandrel and removing ittherefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide an arrangement so that themandrel with the yarn package thereon may be grasped at one end withouttouching the yarn and then this mandrel with the package thereon placedaxially in alignment with an upstanding post with such releasing meansas is provided for the mandrel engaging in a holding arrangement on theend of the post so that by merely turning the part grasped by the handwhen the mandrel is in this position will cause a release of the packagefrom the mandrel and allow the package to drop over the post downwardlyagainst the base or support from which the post extends so that thepackage is transferred from the mandrel into a position on the post andthere properly supported.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, as will be more fully described andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of a base with a plurality of posts upstandingtherefrom for the receipt of the yarn packages in an assembly forconvenient handling.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation with one of the yarn packages omitted from apost and this post broken away and partly in section.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View of the mandrel and package.

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of a iragmental part of the base with apost upstanding therefrom and showing a package as dropped down over thepost.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view illustrating the'package on the mandrel andin a position just prior to discharge of the package from the mandrel todrop over the post.

Fig. 6 is a sectional View through the package and mandrel;

Fig. 'l is a perspective View of a fragmental portion of the base andthe post alone.

In proceeding with this invention, I provide a mandrel having a thumbnut at one end which upon manipulation will release the package so thatit will fall from the mandrel, while at the other end there is a headwhich may be grasped for holding the assembly if desired. I also providea base with a plurality of upstanding posts each slotted at its end toreceive the thumb nut on the mandrel so that if the thumb nut isreceived in the slot at the end of the post and the mandrel turned, thenut will be turned relative tothe spindie, the mandrel contracted sothat the core of the package will drop down over the post.

With reference to the drawings, l@ designates a base of any suitablematerial and of a thickness to be rigid and self-supporting. Upstandingfrom this base there are a plurality of posts Il which will be securedto the base by any suitable means, such for instance as at hole I2 inthe base and a pin I3 on the post il extending downwardly into the basel0, thus permitting the post to be removed and interchanged with postsof diierent diameters if desired. Each of these posts Il is providedwith slots l and l5 extending right angularly to each other across theend of the postA and of a depth to receive the releasing member of themandrel.

The mandrel is shown in section in Fig. 3 and is the subject of aseparate application led February 16, 1942, Serial No. 431,115. Itconsists essentially of body 2l consisting of three segments assembledabout the spindle 2B with the ends tapered as at 22 and 23 to lit thetapered portion 24 of the head 25 fixed to the spindle at one end andfit the tapered portion 26 of the washer 2l slideable along the spindle20 at the other end. Threads 28 are provided on the spindle and a memberconsisting of a thumb nut 29 threadingly engages this portion of thespindle and through means of a metal washer 30 will serve to force thewasher 21 inwardly to expand the segments 2| of the body of the mandrelWhile spring wires 3l lodged in grooves 32 in the mandrel serve tocontract these segments and force the Washer 21 outwardly as the thumbnut or member 29 moves outwardly on the spindle.

The yarn package core 33 consisting of a tubular cylindrical member isgripped by expansion of the body segments and is adapted to have woundthereon yarn 34 which will be wound on this core to the proper diameter.

When the yarn package is full the operator will grip the head 25 in hishand and then place this entire assembly of mandrel and yarn packageaxially in alignment with the post H as shown in Fig. while gripping thehead 25 with the thumb nut 29 positioned into the slot either E4 or l5and then by rotation of this head 25 which is xed to the spindle willcause a relative rotation of the thumb nut 29 and the spindle to movethe thumb nut outwardly on the threads 28. Spring wires 3l will cause acontraction of the segments, thus releasing the core 33 and permit thiscore to drop axially over the post Il from the position shown by fulllines in Fig. 5 to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 5. Thus thisyarn package will be positioned on the post such as shown in Fig. 4.

As each yarn package is dropped over the post in this manner there willbe assembled upon the several posts of the device a group of packages.The size of the group will depend upon the size of the base and numberof posts thereon, all without it being necessary for the operator totouch yarn or use but one hand in a picking up of the mandrel and itspackage from the machine and a discharge of this yarn packonto asuitable asssembly device ready for transporting the yarn in the desirednumber of assembled units on the device from one place to another.

I claim:

1. A receiving device for a yarn package, which is mounted on andsecured to an expansible mandrel having means thereon movable relativeto said package to release said mandrel from an expanded condition topermit contraction thereof to permit removal of said package therefrom,extending therefrom of a dimension to receive said package therein,means in the upper end of said post for cooperation with the releasingmeans to permit relative rotation of said means to release said mandrelfrom expanded condi-v tion to permit renewal of said package from saidmandrel for mounting the same onto said post.

2. A receiving device for a yarn package which is mounted on and securedto an expansible mandrel having means thereon movable relative to saidpackage to release said mandrel from an expanded condition to permitcontraction thereof to permit removal of said package therefrom,comprising a base, a post extending therefrom of a dimension to receivesaid packcomprising a base having a post V age therein, a slot in theupper end of said post for engaging the said means to hold the same topermit relative rotation of said package to release said mandrel fromexpanded condition to permit removal of said package from said mandrelto slide the same onto said post.

3. A receiving device for a yarn package which is mounted on and securedto an expansible mandrel having means thereon movable relative to saidpackage to release said mandrel from an expanded condition to permitcontraction thereof to permit removal of said package therefrom,comprising a base, a post upstanding from said base and of a dimensionto receive said yarn package and a pair of slots in the upper end ofsaid post to be selectively engaged by the said means to hold the sameto permit relative rotation of said package to release said mandrel fromexpanded condition to permit removal of said package from said mandrelto slide the same onto said post.

4. Yarn handling means comprising a mandrel provided with a portionthereof for receiving a package and expansible to grip the core of saidpackage to secure the same to said mandrel, a spindle on said mandrel,means to expand said portion, a member rotatable relative to saidspindle to release said portion from expanded condition, a base, and apost upstanding from the base and provided with means to engage saidmember and hold the same while the spindle is rotated to release saidportion from expanded condition to discharge the core and package ontothe post.

5. In combination with a mandrel having an element thereon for receivingand gripping the core of a package to secure the same on said mandreland means relatively rotatable with reference to said core for releasingsaid element from gripping condition to permit removal of said core fromsaid mandrel, of a base having a post extending from said base of adimension to receive said core, means at the free end portion of saidpost to engage the said relatively rotatable means to hold the sameagainst rotation while the core is rotated to release said element fromgripping condition to permit the core to slide from said mandrel ontosaid post.

6. In combination with a mandrel having means thereon for receiving acore of a package, means for securing said core against relativemovement in said mandrel, of a base having a plurality of parts thereoneach of a size to receive said core and having at the free end thereofmeans for engaging a portion of said mandrel while the same ismanipulated to release the securing means to permit the package and coreto slide from said mandrel onto said post.

ALBERT E. WINSLOW.

